The fenced-in, evenly trimmed lawn doubles as a good gardening spot for Mineo and a perfect playing area for his children’s boxers, Phoebe and Chloe, and bichon, Sophie.

But he detests the dead spot abutting his property.

Mineo lives next to a decrepit, condemned home at the corner of Franklin and East Market streets.

Among the property’s many shortcomings is the shabby grass that’s several inches high. It’s also an asbestos-filled home.

“We’ve lived here for 40 years, and that property has always been a nuisance,” Mineo said.

See the photos above and the list of properties slated for the wrecking ball.

Finally, for the sake of Mineo and the entire neighborhood, someone has decided to kill the property.

Erie County officials targeted it as one of 24 blighted buildings to demolish sometime before Sept. 1. The first demolition should occur sometime this month.

The properties — most are located in Sandusky, while others are scattered throughout the townships of Oxford, Perkins and Vermilion — qualified for demolition after elected representatives overseeing these areas successfully submitted applications for demolition funds.

Find out what neighbors say in today's Register. Click here for the ePaper, for home delivery or buy the Register daily at a newsstand near you.

Comments

Left Sandtown

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 8:11am

Many listed on Hayes ave,Hayes ave was once a very nice street.

mrlizzzard

Thu, 05/16/2013 - 7:56pm

The lot should be given to the closest neighbor or the first person who cleans it up.No taxes for 3 yrs.

pptrsha

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 8:18am

there are still beautiful houses on hayes ave

pptrsha

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 8:23am

we ran out of money on a rehab and DAN WRIGHT PLUMBING stepped in and did the work for us. he told us to pay him when we can!!! he saved our house for us and we owe him. he did a great job. just when you think things are the worst they can be sometimes you get surprised by people.

Truth or Dare

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 8:28am

What's being done with/about the old G & C Foundry property on W. Monroe? Who is responsible for mowing the grass on the boardwalk, or for that matter painting over the gang graffiti we get to see on the front of the building as we drive by? It's been there for a long time now. What, the bank has no responsibility for the property? Would a resident be arrested for mowing the grass themselves, or painting over the gang signs?

gene44870

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 9:27am

First off , I dont know why when they tore down the old G.C foundry plant they left the building that remains , They should have torn it down with the plant

Second off If they city does not want poeple doing the job that should be done to maintain the lot , then they need to let the general public help the city by cutting grass and painting and such .

And third , I can not understand why they tearing down the home on Stone Street , Am I missing something here ? if anyone knows please let me know .

Whopper2013

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 9:25am

How about demolishing the eyesore on the corner of 113 and River Road in Milan Township? It is located in Erie County and looks like it is ready to collapse on its own

doggie mom

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 2:48pm

That property was owned by the Cole's (Mickey Mart) Family and it was at least a few years ago being rented out and an elderly man was living there. I do not know if he still lives there or if Cole's still own it.

worddrow811

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:08am

The elderly man died in 2012 and the Coles' still own it.

worddrow811

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:56pm

I believe Mick and Lisa Coles own that property and that they stripped the valuable woodwork inside to put in their new home on River Road. It was once owned by a judge from erie county who let it go to rack and ruin. Someone farms the property and there are longhorn steers. It was built before the civil war and it's truly a crime of neglect to not keep our history in this county.

Whopper2013

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:08am

Not surprising that they would do that(stripping resources from something that was once valuable). Maybe if they didn't spend all that money suing Erie Metroparks, they would have the money to clear the property

BEHAPPY

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 9:35am

Why does the city sell condemned homes and then they sit in the same condition after the fact? Empty, Grass up to~well, you know where~shingles flying all over our yards, steps crumbling, weeds taller than the fence, back porch just falling off~well, you get the picture. Makes no sense to me! Why did the city not tear it down? Condemned and sold???? Then we have the other homes~3 to be exact~occupied~and SHOULD be demolished! What a mess..........what a shame

Some friends of mine moved here from out of state looking for a new start and moved into the Stone St home with help from someone at the Job Store and the landlord there ripped them off big time!!!! They were only here a short time because they had health issues with their son and had to return to not only a warmer location but his doctors but while they were here they never had heat in the winter because the landlord refused to fix the furnace and we went in and took electric heaters to them to at least help a little but that was the least of the issues. Where are the property owners for these places?

shucks

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:12am

I'll miss the building on 426 Central Avenue. ( isn't it really on Decatur ?)
It always had a certain charm about it.

The guy next door might be happy...you probably couldn't slip a piece of paper between his house and the building.

Commenter

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:10am

Are they all foreclosures?

Commenter

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:10am

Are they all foreclosures?

Julie R.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:48am

So why aren't realtors buying up these abandoned properties and fixing them up to use as rental properties? Wouldn't it be a lot more beneficial to the housing blight in Erie County than buying fraudulently transferred properties at court-ordered scam sheriff sales to use as rental properties?

My thoughts

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:59am

This again. Get over it already.

luvblues2

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:40am

Jules is not gonna drop this as long as she is able to type. I suggest we all accept it. :)

Nemesis

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:57am

Julie, this thread is not about your problem. Stop trying to make it be.

Julie R.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 12:22pm

Auditors authorizing fraudulent transfers of property belonging to the elderly and the Erie County courts and the (former) sheriff then selling the properties with serious defects in the titles at scam sheriff sales isn't MY problem. I believe instead that Erie County has a very serious problem with their elected public officials.

Nemesis

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 9:46pm

Julie, dear, you're confused again.

You have alleged one instance of this, not a pattern, or even a second instance - that one instance is YOUR personal problem.

Furthermore, despite several people asking the Register to look into your story, neither they, nor you, can find sufficient evidence to make it worth their while. That makes it even more completely and exclusively your problem.

All you're doing now is solidifying the impression that you're a crank and diminishing the probability that anyone will ever take your story seriously. This is what's known as counterproductive behavior - actions that accomplish the opposite of what you want. You need to collect printouts of all your comments in the last year, and people's responses, and take them to a competent mental health counselor, and ask them what you should do. You'll see - they'll agree with what I'm saying.

Julie R.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:24pm

What do you mean it's my personal problem? Corrupt public officials should be everybody's problem. Crimes against the elderly should be everybody's problem, too.

And how would you know it isn't a pattern? Do you do title searches for banks or what? According to a local title company the fraud they are finding during title searches at the Eeeerie County courthouse is unreal ..... and if anybody would know that for a fact it would be them. After all, they not only search records in the public offices of the auditor, recorder, treasurer, and even the common pleas, they also search records in the PROBATE COURT. The point I'm trying to get across is --- your Erie County public officials aren't as 'secret' as they think they are.

BTW, I could care less what people's responses are. lol

Nemesis

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:07am

Corrupt public officials ARE everybody's problem, but you've presented no evidence of corrupt public officials. You've provided nothing but your naked unsupported assertion of what happened to you personally. You've offered no evidence that there was actually any wrongdoing or that what you claim happened happened. That's step 1.

YOU claim there's a pattern - it's therefore incumbent upon YOU to support YOUR allegations with EVIDENCE. "According to a local title company" - yeah, my best friend's third cousin's stepfather's uncle's ex-wife said so and so. Where has someone with authority to speak for this company gone publicly on record with this claim? Well?

You say you could care less about peoples' response? So then, Julie, WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH HERE? What do you want to see happen as a result of your ceaseless thread-hikacking rants? STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE. Do you want somebody investigated? prosecuted? Do you want your inheritance back? or do you just want sympathy?

So, how's that working out? Let's see - when you first started, you got a little sympathy, but you pretty much destroyed it by beating a dead horse. Any investigations or prosecutions yet? Nope. Any sign of them signing that house over to you? Nope. What have you accomplished? Well, you've pretty much shredded your own credibility to the point that IF there was a prosecution, you'd be worthless as a witness. Was THAT your goal? Anyone here who is familiar with Julie's posting history and still thinks Julie is helping her own cause, please chime in. What's that - it sounds like the crickets chirping.

When you keep doing the same thing expecting different results, that's the definition of insanity. It's time to find another approach.

The Answer Person

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:09pm

Then do yourself and all educated readers here a favor, my dear. M-O-V-E. Get it? Get out.

pptrsha

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 4:40am

I don't understand the reason for saying why arent realtors buying up the property like it is their fault that a building is abandoned and set for demo instead of making rentals out of them? most of the realtors I know don't want to be landlords or rehab a property. they sure don't have bottomless pockets to pour money into properties. when I got my license I was told you can either be a landlord or a realtor. most of the realtors I know have a hard enough time keeping their licenses paid for. unless you are talking about 2 realtors that I know that own rental property they are part of a real estate group that owns and manages a large number of properties. they have employees that handle the business . why would you make the remark about what kind of realtors does erie co have? I have seen your rant a few times I truly believe that something happened to you. I believe that I told you to contact the board of realtors in Columbus. all realtors answer to the licensing bureau and if there was any wrong doing by the realtor than you will be entitled to a monetary award. the reason that all realtors carry insurance policies is because they can be sued if they are accused of any wrong doing. all the realtors I know maybe three of them don't have to work second jobs because realtors do not draw a paycheck. they only receive money if and when they clear a sale. I think that saying realtors should buy all the property makes as much sense as saying all pizza delivery men, waitress, hairdressers, or mailmen, should buy the property and rehab it. realtors are not contractors. please file a complaint with Columbus if a realtor is at fault.

pptrsha

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:07am

realtor here. lol

Julie R.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 12:04pm

So if you're a realtor, wouldn't you have enough common sense to do a simple title search prior to bidding on property at a sheriff sale --- especially one that wasn't even being sold through foreclosure, one that was being sold instead through a partition action? I sure would! What kind of realtors do they have in Eeeerie County, anyway?

So if you did NOT have enough sense to do a simple title search prior to bidding on property at a sheriff sale, would you wait nine months after obtaining the property to have a title search done? Duh.

So what if you waited nine months and was then denied title insurance and given a long list of reasons why, including, but not limited to, the chief reason being --- a 4th beneficiary had a legitimate claim to the property (nice way of saying he was defrauded as a result of the fraud they found on the 1st owner's half prior to her death) --- and the title company even referenced the fact in writing that the preliminary judicial report filed prior to the sheriff sale (done by a Sandusky abstract title company) was "incorrect." (nice way of saying it was fraud when they falsely stated there were no defects in the title)

Would you keep the property? I sure wouldn't! What kind of realtors do they have in Eeeerie County, anyway? lol

Sam

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 3:16pm

Once again. total lack of knowledge a sheriffs sale and deed resulting from that sale clears any defects on a property, please just get a life and move on...

Julie R.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 4:24pm

What do you mean a sheriff sale and deed resulting from that sale clears any defects on a property? Are you for real? Fraudulently transfer property, sell it at a sheriff sale and that clears up the fraud? If that were true, the realtor that bought the property at that scam sheriff sale would have been able to get title insurance --- but he sure didn't! He was denied so quick it was pathetic. In fact, I was on the phone with the title company when they got the title search report back. The person I was talking to wasn't even half-way done reading it and she said: "My God! This guy will NEVER get title insurance!" (and he didn't, either) Another Sandusky title company (that heard all about the fraud the other title company found) said he wouldn't care WHAT the Erie County courts said --- the Erie County courts can't change the laws --- and his company wouldn't touch that property with a ten-foot pole!

God Of Thunder

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 6:50pm

Yawn.. See this??? " " It's the smallest violin in the world and I'm playing it like Strativarious...

There you go again

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 7:00pm

I, for one, am listenng to Julie R. and concerned about the corrupt antics of our beloved Sandusky, Thanks for caring, Julie.

Kelly

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 7:13pm

hahahaha

The Answer Person

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:10pm

and of course and as usual doing NOTHING!

Nemesis

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:09am

ThereYouGo, You're new around here. Give it a few months...

Julie R.

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 1:22pm

@ There you go again: I wouldn't call it the 'corrupt antics of our beloved Sandusky'...... I would call it the ILLEGAL antics of your county public officials, including some of those sweethearts at the Eeeerie County courthouse!

God Of Thunder

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 6:42am

I wonder why... Were you the other woman???

Kelly

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 2:09pm

Well, since you asked, my guess would be that everyone from Huron has already put you on permanent ignore.

Julie R.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 4:22pm

It's more like they know who the Huronites are that I talk about.

Kelly

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 5:06pm

LOL No, I doubt that's it.

Nemesis

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 11:40am

The only claims that survive a sheriff's sale are federal tax liens. All other claims are voided.

Nemesis

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:14am

Hey Julie, if that title's so worthless, why hasn't it been successfully challenged? How come the person holding that title hasn't lost a dime because of it?

How do you think the title company feels about you telling the world how one of their employees broke confidentiality to feed your gossip appetite?

Bless your heart.

Julie R.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 4:20am

What person holding the title? According to the realtor, Lyons and the common pleas court never even gave him the title. He said all they gave him was a sheriff sale deed. Why everybody is hiding the title is beyond me. I mean geez, such juvenile tactics. Reminds me of those attorneys that started it all --- one prepares a new fraud power of attorney when an elderly client is in the end stages of Alzheimers and another one hides it in the Lorain County Recorder.

Is this what they teach these clowns in law school or what?

Nemesis

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 11:44am

The current owner. The deed is the title. Has this owner had his ownership successfully challenged? Has he lost a dime?

WELL?

Oh, and the only basis we have for the power of attorney being fraudulent is your rant, based on what? Your ASSUMPTION that you knew EVERYTHING your mother ever did, said, or signed?

Julie R.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 10:24pm

On what basis do I know the power of attorney I found concealed in the Lorain County Recorder's office after my mother's death prepared by my mother's Huron attorney and filed by some Lorain County attorney I never heard of before was fraud? Duh. I have a Forensic Document Examiner's Report that states with scientific certainty every single document they examined was a forgery, including, but not limited to that joke will that was filed two years after my mother's death. The report even told who the dirt-bag was that forged everything. The probate court refused to address it. So did the common pleas court prior to that scam sheriff sale they pulled off.

As for the property --- the story I heard as to the reason the guy will never get title insurance is because the 4th beneficiary that the dirt-bags defrauded ~ who a title company put in writing had a legitimate claim to the property ~ who was never even brought into that scam sheriff sale despite my numerous complaints --- he can come back on that property 5, 10 and even 15 years from now. Even his heirs (his kids) could go back on it someday.

Nemesis

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 11:48pm

We'll all hold our breath.....

Julie R.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 10:47am

Nemesis: When property is sold through normal channels banks require title searches prior to approving a loan. Here's a list of some of the 21 Hidden Defects in titles that can only be found during a search of public records.

1. Forgery
2. Fraud in connection with the execution of documents
3. Mental incompetence of the grantor
4. Deeds executed under expired or false power of attorneys
5. False personation by those purporting to be the owners of the property
6. Wills not properly probated
7. Mistaken interpretation of wills and trusts
8. Undisclosed heirs
9. Unresolved or unsatisfied claims not shown on record
10. Non-delivery of deeds after the death of the grantor

The above is why the joke Erie County courts worked in collusion with Lyons and their attorney buds to sell property with serious defects in the title at a scam sheriff sale.

And your point is? While accurate, this little recitation has no bearing on anything anyone here has said. Have we confused you?

Julie R.

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 1:31pm

I heard defects in a title have to be pretty darn bad ~ and SUPER BAD, at that ~ for a title company to refuse title insurance.

Julie R.

Fri, 05/17/2013 - 8:40pm

Duh ...... confuse me about what? (but at least you admitted the information was accurate)

BTW, some more things I heard from a title company --- somebody trying to get title insurance on the property in Huron that the corrupt Erie County courts sold at a scam sheriff sale with serious defects in the title would be sort of like somebody driving with no insurance, they get in an accident and then they rush to get insurance thinking the new insurance company will be stupid enough to pay for it.

Browndog271

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:42am

426 Central appears owned by the Bishop of the Toledo Diocese, why is tax money being used? They have plently.

Nemesis

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 11:59am

Probably because it was purchased with the understanding that the county would be demolishing it, i.e. that was part of the deal.

I appreciate that some of these eyesores will finally be removed, but I wonder when compliance officers (whether through City or County auspices) will do some catching up on properties that either need to be condemned or brought up to code? There are occupied buildings here in town where the lawn is rarely (if ever) mowed; where damage to roofs, gutters, fences, etc. remain unrepaired; where there's actual danger to people living within!

I know that there are plenty of landlords out there who take good care of their properties and who are careful when they select tenants. But there are at least as many who are just the opposite. Yes, Sandusky has a clear problem with its too high rentals percentages, but it's at least as much of a problem when so many of those rentals are in bad shape and the landlords are given little if any real incentive to clean up their act!

Darkhorse

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 1:00pm

Sandusky needs to get its rental percentage down. About 75% is way too much and that is just an estimate. The city has no records to know what the real percentage is or maybe they are afraid to admit that the percentage is even more then we expected. The worst houses that have been sitting around for years need to come down. The city cannot allow vacant houses to sit for years without taking action.

shucks

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 1:37pm

-Darkhorse

There was an Register article some years ago about rentals- and I think it read like 15-20% (?) is bad.
So, about 75% is like WOW !!!

WiseManOnceSaid

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 1:37pm

Can they please demolish BobShumways house?

shucks

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 1:41pm

...with him in it ? Pleeezz?

Me and Only Me

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 1:38pm

The house at 1720 W. Monroe St. has been deserted, empty and posted as condemned for at least 3 years now. It looks real bad! The back yard still has at least 30 full trash bags and litter. There are rat holes around the property also. There are vines that grow and almost totally engulf it in the summer. (At least it hides the ugliness.) I always wonder how long the city will put off demolishing this hazardous and unhealthy place. Another 3 years? Everyone in the neighborhood keeps neat and clean properties and that house is deplorable. It just sits ignored by the city.

luvblues2

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 1:54pm

Go take a look at Detroit, Cleveland or Toledo.

Me and Only Me

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:33pm

I know! Those cities have terrible problems! I sure hope Sandusky never gets as bad though.

The Answer Person

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 2:30pm

Demolishing the former Kleug Pharmacy building @ Central and Decatur is a friggin' tragedy. I think this article would be better served by listing the OWNERS of the properties than the properties themselves.

Julie R.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 4:08pm

If you want to know who the owners are just get on the auditor's website and put in the address of the property.

For example: 1315 Fifth Street says prior to 1995 it was owned by a Jacob and Ida Schenko and then in 1995 it was owned only by Ida Schenko. On 7-19-2012 it says U.S. National Bank obtained it from Ida Schenko at a Sheriff Sale for $26,000.00 . It then says on 10-23-2012 U.S. Bank National sold it to a Timothy & Marra Stookey for $6,000.00.

Another example: 216 Franklin Street says prior to 1998 it was owned by Neill Hancock Administration. In 1998 Neill Hancock Administration sold it to a Susan Schultz. (no price given) In 2001 Susan Schultz sold it to Monet Pit, LTD. (no price given) In 2007 Monet Pit, LTD sold it to a Claudia Hand for $70,103.00.

God Of Thunder

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 6:45am

and I'm sure they were bought and transferred with fraudulent titles too..

Julie R.

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 3:45pm

I wouldn't doubt it. When it comes to Erie County, I wouldn't trust anything they do with property. I have records that show how a Lorain County attorney was allowed to take permanent records to property out of the Erie County Recorder's office right after that sneaky fraudulent transfer of my mother's half seven months before her death. The letter says that he "placed the deed(s) with the Lorain County auditor." Now why they did that I don't know, unless they were trying to conceal the fact that the property was not owned jointly. If so, it didn't work.

( O.R.C.5309.96 Instruments shall not be taken from office - copies )

pavedparadise

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 3:54am

Hey NoAnswerPerson:

Why don't you take your own advice---open up your purse and put your money where your mouth is---ya should have bought the property.

queenjhb

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 4:33pm

Loss in property tax must be outa this world on all these propertys, A few new houses buildt on some of this land would be a great start.

rjk1915

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 4:58pm

If you knew Sandusky a long time ago, it breaks your heart to see it now But it can never be brought back.

shucks

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 9:55am

rjk1915

Yep,
Especially downtown is sad to look at.

Firelandsobserver

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 5:59pm

It's sad to watch city centers decay especially when historically interesting structures stand under the looming wrecking ball. Building #1 and #2 are in my opinion worth rescuing for that purpose alone. I am not sure if razing buildings and leaving empty lots is the solution to the much larger problem here. In addition to an active preservation society there should be alternatives to demolition.

pavedparadise

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 4:06am

Sure would be nice to know the numbers on how many of the foreclosed houses in Sandusky are purchased for rehab vs demolition. I'd say demo far outnumbers rehab.

Also keep in mind, every time the wrecking ball knocks down a rental home the ratio of rental vs owner occupied goes down.

old dog

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 7:56am

I want to know who rattled Julie's cage and let her out again!!

happyfeet64

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 9:13am

LOL!!!!!

Julie R.

Thu, 05/16/2013 - 10:40am

Somebody sure did rattle the cage of my courthouse buddy Sam to come up with that "new" comical law that basically says: "If property is fraudulently transferred before the deaths of the elderly owners to the properties, the defects in the titles can be cleared up by selling the properties at a sheriff sale under fraud preliminary judicial reports that falsely state there are no defects in the title."

That's about as good as the one that I heard from an assistant prosecutor once: "A recorder of a county is required by law to file everything she's given to file on property, no matter how untrue, incorrect, or fraudulent she knows the filings to be."

With "laws" like that, no wonder there's so many rental properties in corrupt Erie County!